ProImmune and Roslin Institute Partner to Expand Tools for Veterinary Immunology

ProImmune Ltd has announced a new collaboration with the Roslin Institute to advance veterinary immunology through the development of novel, species-specific binding reagents.

The partnership will focus on generating and validating Ankyron® binders, small, high-specificity proteins designed to target key immune system components across a range of animal species. The initiative is expected to address a longstanding bottleneck in animal health research: the limited availability of high-quality, species-specific reagents.

Addressing Gaps in Veterinary Research Tools

Despite growing recognition of the importance of animal health in global disease prevention, veterinary immunology has historically lagged behind human-focused research due to a lack of reliable tools.

Under the agreement, researchers at the Roslin Institute will identify priority protein targets, particularly where suitable reagents do not yet exist. ProImmune will then use its proprietary platform to generate highly specific Ankyron binders against targets in porcine, bovine, avian, and salmonid species.

These reagents will support a range of applications, including flow cytometry and immunofluorescence imaging, enabling more detailed analysis of immune responses across species.

Leveraging Ankyron Technology

Ankyrons are small (~15 kDa) binding proteins identified through ProImmune’s high-throughput, in vitro screening platform. Their size and specificity allow for rapid and cost-effective discovery compared to traditional antibody-based approaches, particularly in species where antibody availability is limited.

By expanding access to such reagents, the collaboration aims to unlock new areas of research and improve experimental reproducibility across veterinary and comparative immunology.

Supporting a Global Research Community

Validated data generated through the collaboration will be made available via the Immunological Toolbox, a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)-funded initiative led by the Roslin and Pirbright Institutes.

The platform is designed to provide researchers with easy access to high-quality immunological reagents, helping to standardise tools and streamline workflows across the field.

Advancing One Health Priorities

The collaboration also aligns with the World Health Organization’s One Health framework, which recognises the interconnected nature of human, animal, and environmental health.

By improving the ability to study immune responses in animals, the partnership is expected to support efforts to monitor and control zoonotic diseases, those that can be transmitted between animals and humans, as well as contribute to more sustainable farming practices and enhanced food security.

Professor Jayne Hope of the Roslin Institute highlighted the impact of the technology, noting that improved reagent availability could help address longstanding gaps in veterinary immunology research.

Dr. Nikolai Schwabe, CEO of ProImmune, added that the collaboration represents a step toward developing tools that support both animal and human health, reinforcing the importance of integrated approaches to global health challenges.

As interest in zoonotic disease prevention and animal health continues to grow, initiatives that expand the research toolkit are likely to play a critical role in accelerating discovery.

By combining ProImmune’s binding technology with the Roslin Institute’s expertise in animal health, the collaboration aims to deliver practical solutions that enable new scientific insights and ultimately, more effective strategies for disease prevention and control.